Type-writing machine.



A. C. ROEBUCK.

TYPE wenmc MACh APPLICATION FILED N 0v.!

ALVAH C. ROEBUCK, OE WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification cf Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1916.

Application filed November 12, 1913. Serial No. 800,432.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALYAH C. Ronnncn, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Voodstock, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-\Vriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a shift key for typewriters, and particularly to means for maintaining the shift key in each of its shifted positions.

The principal object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for shifting the platen from upper to lower case position and for maintaining the shift key automatically in either desired position.

The invention consists in the features of noveity in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts generally shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification, but more particularl y pointed out in the appended claims.

in the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the invention, parts of the typewriting machine being omitted for clearness; and Fig. 2 is a detail view of the locking stud.

In this exemplilication of my invention a frame designated generally by the reference numeral 5 is provided with carriage rails 3 in which a carriage 7 is movable, with a shiftable platen carrier 8 mounted in the carriage. having a depending arm 9 prefcrab y adjacent the center thereof for sup porting a rotary element 10 mounted then u.

live-tally mounted adjacent the rear of the frame upon a shaft 11 is a member 12 whi h supports a rail 13 extending below the rotary member 10 and adaptedto contact i-herevi'ith during the full length of movement of the platen. This member 12 is formed with an engageable portion 11 substantially at right angles from the shaft 11 to the rail 13. Pivotally mounted at the rear of the frame in a support 15 is a shift key having an upwardly extending arm 16 adapted to contact with the engageable portion 14 of the member 12, and having a forwardly extending depressible arm 17. This end of the key is provided with a finger button 18 and a lateral projection 19 spaced from }he extremity. The key is movable against the tension of a spring 20 in the support 15, the pressure of which is adjusted by means of a screw 21. The key is preferably movable in a guide 22 adjacent the projection 19 which is formed with a detent 23 adapted to engage the projection 19 and thereby to limit the downward movement of the shift key, and to prevent unnecessary friction on the ways of the carriage.

Pivotally connected to the shift key at a point between the projection 19 and the extremity thereof is a lock lever 24 having a finger button 25 at the end of one arm and with an angular notch in the rear edge of the other arm from which an inclined surface 27 extends to the end of the arm. The lock lever is also formed with a projection 28 which is adapted to engage a pin 29 projecting from the shift key, and a spring 30 tends to maintain the lock lever with' the projection 28 in engagement with the pin 29.

Projecting into the path of movement of the lock lever is a stud 31 preferably threaded into the typewriter frame and formed with an angular point or edge 32 by milling away a portion of the stud, as indicated by the'shoulder The angular edge 32 is adapted to engage-in the notch 26 and the stud is adjustable to obtain the best locking angle, and to engage at a point when the lock lever has been brought to the proper tension. This angle is obtained by rotating the stud to the desired position and then locking it firmly in position by means of a locknut 31.

In operation the arm 17 of the shift key is depressed which raises the platen to its upper case position, and as long as the key is held depressed the platen will be maintained in position. If it is desired to lock the shift key in upper case position the lock lever 24 is pressed which will cause the inclined surface 27 to press against the rounded portion of the stud 31 until the notch 26 of the lever engages with the angular edge 32-of the stud, whereupon the lever will be held in position because of the upward pullof the key lever due to the pressure of spring 20, the tension of the shift key being greater than the pull of the spring 30 attached to the lock lever.

To release the lock lever, it is necessary only to depress the extremity of the shift key whereupon the tension between the notch 26 and the angular edge 32 of the stud will be released to Such a degree that the spring 30 will throw the lower arm of the 1 the lock lever locking lever 24 out of engaging position with the angular edge 32.

, Vhat Ii claim is:

1. In a jj jp'ewriter, a frame, a shift key, alock leverjujijvoted to said key with a latch formed inyegtra lly therewith, a stud threaded 1n he frag le having an adjustable inclined edge at angggangle to engage the latch when I jis pressed, anda spring connectingtl 'efilock lever and the shift key to prevent the-Hatch engaging the stud when the shiftij y alone is depressed.

A shf ffikey having a lock lever pivoted thereto cfm stituting a latch having a notch and an in piped surface extending below the notch, andfl'i threaded rotatable stud with a downwardly extending angular edge, the projectiorf ing engaged by the inclined surface bej w the notch when the lock lever. is depressgdj and throughout the movement thereof until. the notch is engaged by the angular of the fixed projection.

3. A shli, key having a lock lever pivoted thereto cdristituting a latch which has a notch and an inclined surface extending below the notch, a rotatable threaded 'stud with a downwardly extending angular edge, the projection-being engaged by the inclined surface lflelow the notch when the lock lever is depressed and throughout the movement thereofr'until the notch is engaged by the angular edge of the stud, and a spring connecting the lock lever adjacent the notch to the shift key to withdraw the latch from engagement with the stud when the shift key alone! is depressed,

4. In a typewriter, a frame, a shift key, a lock lever pivotally connected thereto having an engaging angular notch, and an adjust able stud threaded in the frame having an adjustable angularly downwardly extending edge to engage the angular notch of the lock lever.

5. In a typewriter, a frame, a threaded stud adjustable in the frame having an angular downwardly extending edge, a depressible shift key mounted in the frame, and a lock lever'pivotally connected to the shift key and having a notch in the edge of one arm thereof adapted to be moved into engagement with the angular edge of the adjustable stud when the lever is depressed.

6. In a typewriter, a frame, a round stud milled away on one side to form an angular engaging edge adjustably secured to the frame, a shift key, and a lock lever pivotally connected to the shift key having an engaging notch in one edge thereof to engage the angular edge of the stud, the angular edge of the stud being rotatable therewith for adjustment.

7. In a typewriter, a frame, a round stud threaded therein having a portion milled away to form an angular engaging edge, the stud being rotatable to adjust the position engages the angular edge of the stud.

of the engaging edge, a locknut to secure the stud 1n ad usted position, a shift key, a lock lever plvotally connected to the shift key having a notch to engage the angular edge of the stud, and a spring connecting the 7 lever and the key tending to draw the lever out of'engagement with the stud.

8. In a typewriter, a frame, a depressible shift key, a lock lever pivotally connected thereto, an adjustable stud threaded in the 5 frame with an angular engaging edge, means to lock the stud in adjusted position, the lock lever being provided with a notch and an inclijl'bdsurface below the notch, and a spring Qdnnecting the lever and the key, a so stop to limit the movement f the lever with respect to the key, the inc ined surface of lock lever being adapted to engage the stud when it is depressed until the notch thereof 9. In a typewriter, a frame, a resilient deprcssible shift key having a laterally extending projection at a distance from the de'pressible end, a pivotally connected lock lever with an angular notch in the rear edge of one of the arms thereof and an inclined surface extending from the edge of the notch toward the end thereof, arr-adjustable stud threaded into the frame with an inclinedangular edge to engage in the notch,

the inclined surface of the lock lever bearing against the stud until the notch -isengaged, a spring tending to draw the lock lever out of engagement with the stud, and

a detent to engage the projection on the shiftkey whereby when it is depressed the holding tension betweenthe notch and the angular edge will be released to enable the spring to draw the lock lever out of engagement with the angular edge of the stud.

10. In a typewriting machine, a frame. a platen, a, shiftable platen, a shift key pivotally mounted adjacent the rear of the frame, having a depressible forward ext-remity adapted to shift the platen, and with a projection spaced from the end thereof, a detent in connection with the frame.to engage the projection and limit the movement of the platen when the key is depressed, a pivotally mounted lock lever having a depending arm with an angular notch in the rear edge thereof and an inclined portion extending from the edge of the notch to the extremity of the arm. a rotatable stud mounted in the frame with an angular edge to engage in the notch, means to secure the stud in adjusted position, a spring tending to draw the lock lever out of engagement with the stud, and a pin on the key to engage the lever to limit the move- 116 mcnt thereof in one direction, the key being depressed-fit the forward end to enable the spring to release the lock lever from engagement with the stud.

11. In a. typewriter, a pivoted platen I shift key, a. spring tending to press it up wardly, a lock lever pivotally mounted on the shift key having a depending arm with an angular notch in the rear edge thereof, a i-otatablv adjustable stud mounted in the frame with an angular edge to engage in the notch. and a spring tending to prevent the Melt-lever from. engaging with the stud, the lock lever being rotatable to engaue the notch with the stud and the shift. key spring: Causing greater tension than the loci; h rer spring whereby the shift key must be depressed to release the lot-h lever from engagement with the stud.

.12. In a typewriter: a frame a round stud threaded therein having a projecting angular edge and rotatable to adjust the position of the edge. means to secure the stud in adjusted position. a shift key. a loch lever pivutally Connected to the shift her having: a notch to engage the angular edge of the stud, and means tending to hold the lever out of engagement with the stud.

1? In a typewriter, a frame, a round stud threaded in the frame having a projecting angular edge rotatable therein for adjustment means to secure the stud in adjusted position. a shift key, a lock lever pivotally eonneeted to the shift key having a surface adapted to be engaged by the angular edge of the stud when the lock lever is pressed and a spring troni'ieeting the lever and the key tending to draw the lever out of engagement with the stud.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 7th day of November. A. l). 1913).

A LVAH (I. ROEB UCK.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H SEEM,

KENT \V. \Vox N ELL. 

